


Secrets and Poker

by MisterStalker, tiny_freakin_head



Series: Classics [2]
Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: Drinking, F/M, Gambling, M/M, Other, Secrets, Talk of murder, Talk of sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-19
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2020-05-14 22:55:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19282897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MisterStalker/pseuds/MisterStalker, https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiny_freakin_head/pseuds/tiny_freakin_head
Summary: [Edit: ]Mister Stalker: I created the classic sniper from a Finnish soldier hero called The White Death. He protected Finland from Russia as a legendary sniper. If you are curious I strongly recommend reading his history to pay respect to his sacrifice and service. Thank [/edit]





	Secrets and Poker

Spy was the last to join his team members in their private dim room for their poker game.

He held a bottle of French wine in his hand and apologised when Katsu saw it. "Pardon the choice of drinks. It's all Greg can get, due to that damn prohibition."

Simo barely frowned with the corner of his mouth. It was not his preferred drink, but he was glad to have drinks.

Spy sat at the table and traded the bottle for cards. Simo grunted and Spy assured, "I know, I'll remove my mask, don't worry."

Katsu, unlike Spy, never wore his mask indoors if he could help it. He was in civilian clothing. He shrugged when Spy brought the wine. He hadn't been expecting sake, though if anyone could get it here it would be Spy. Or Greg.

"It's fine," he assured Spy. Before Spy had arrived, Katsu and Simo had done nothing more than nod to each other in greeting, both of them comfortable in silence with the other. Katsu found he liked the Finn's silent nature. It was a pleasant change after spending time with most of their teammates.

He pushed forwards three glasses, letting Simo pour them each a glass.

Simo opened the bottle and poured generous amounts.

Spy served each person their cards and then sat in silence while they arranged them in their hands.

At first they played silently. They bet chips and exchanged them. Some piles grew, some waned.

Simo looked at his lessening pile and put a small amount in the center, but added, "And a secret about the war."

Spy waited for Katsu but then made his own move. He added chips to the center but revealed his own cards and took the pool, watching Simo with intrigue.

Simo lit a cigarette and spoke, "I killed 748 men."

Spy grunted, "Liar."

Simo shrugged, "I counted the bodies."

Spy sat in silence for a moment then cussed quietly at the reality of it.

Katsu looked on with just as much interest, frowning a little at Simo's pronouncement. As many people as they killed on the battlefield every day, none of them truly died. Katsu could hardly conceive of that number of people, dead by his hand. But none of them lied here.

They continued on until Katsu raised, "My first kill." He was almost shy amongst these two, his life experience was far different. 

Spy smirked slightly. He somehow expected it was a medical accident, but given the game, he was certain it was a darker secret than that.

He looked to his cards, but certainly had no chance to beat anyone else's hands.

Simo produced a wonderful set of cards, beating Katsu by just enough.

Spy leaned forward, sipping his wine and eager to listen.

"He was a teaching assistant, at medical school. There wasn't supposed to be anyone in the building. I was moving a body, for the yakuza. He grabbed a scalpel," Katsu subconsciously ran the tip of his tongue over his lip scar, so quickly it would easily be missed, "I grabbed a bonesaw." The ending was fairly obvious. Bonesaws were sharp and strong enough to go through bone. A man's neck had been nothing.

Spy sipped his wine and imagined what Katsu told him. It was easy to imagine the medic killing a man with a bonesaw now. But for his first kill, what a terrible challenge.

He noticed his tongue on his lip. He finally had an answer for where the scar came from.

He nodded, approving of the answer. Simo nodded also, apparently approving though his expression said nothing.

The game went on further before spy was almost without chips and needed to bargain a secret.

He moved a small pile of chips to the center and said, "And a secret about my sexual interests."

Simo sighed and made a gesture for jerking off. He had no interest in the secret and waited for Katsu to agree with him.

Katsu feigned disinterest, but was secretly pleased to hear that Spy might share that sort of thing. He nodded, ignoring Simo. He couldn’t help himself, Spy’s relationship with Greg was of particular interest to him, closeted as he was.

Simo put some chips in the pot and waited for Katsu and then Spy proudly showed his cards, certain of a winning hand. Simo showed his and the spy's expression sunk. He lost this time. He watched as Simo took the chips and revealed his secrets, "I have sexual fantasies about our medic." 

Simo's hand fumbled and knocked over a stack of chips. He looked at Spy in shock and then Katsu.

Katsu was so stunned he was sure he’d misheard. He started going red. A whole swath of guilty fantasies rose up in his mind and he took a few minutes to get himself back to the present moment, face showing nothing, but still flushed. “You had to pick that one?” his voice shook slightly and he had to take a slow breath. He took a long drink. He’d expected something about Spy’s current relationships- whether it was Greg, or Beatrice. He nodded to Simo, indicating he was ready to continue.

Spy was impressed by how little Katsu let the information affect his expression. Of course, this is why they played together in poker, these three had flawless masks for hiding their thoughts. The flush to the Japanese man's face was noticed, however. Subtle, but not too subtle for the Spy to see. He rotated his wrist, letting the wine in his glass spin, "Are you saying you have some preference for what secrets I share about my bedroom?" but he was only teasing. He knew Katsu was only embarrassed to be the subject of the secret. Spy never expected that Katsu truly did want to hear about his relationship with Greg.

Ah, Spy was only making it worse and Katsu couldn’t keep the blood from rising in his face. He wished desperately for his mask. “Maybe I would just prefer they not involve me,” he protested, but didn’t argue that he wanted to hear more from Spy. “Please, Simo,” Katsu begged him to start the next round, wanting the attention off himself. Spy was looking at him like he could see right through him and it was all Katsu could do to keep his face stoic. 

Simo did not move on too quickly. He noticed something and watched to decide what it was. But Spy said nothing and Medic was staring firmly at his cards with no expression. Finally Simo shuffled briefly and passed cards to either player again. Chips moved around the table but consistently, more were leaving Spy's corner. 

Spy commented, "We need to change the buy in or I'll be done soon." He played with the chips at his fingertips, letting them click together. 

Simo offered, "Easy. The buy in is a secret. The winner of each round asks, and the losers answer." 

Spy immediately became tense and guarded. "There must be some limitations on that..." 

Simo chuckled, "Why? We are team mates, we are family, we trust each other with our lives. What is too secret, that you cannot answer to us?" 

Spy sighed but nodded to show his consent. From this point on, his currency was secrets.

Katsu was running low on his own chips, and finally offered up another secret. He was glad Simo had finally allowed them to move on. He’d waited a frustratingly long time to let Katsu get out from under their eyes. He nodded to agree to questions rather than answers, for buy ins. “A physical secret,” he offered up, aware that they would likely assume it was about one of his scars.

Simo showed his cards and Spy was too glad to show better cards and collect some chips again. He glanced to Katsu, waiting for the secret as he organised his money without looking at it.

Katsu was certain he’d get a reaction with this secret; he’d always been very careful to guard it and no one on base knew. He unbuttoned his shirt, slowly, then let it fall down from his shoulders to rest around his wrists. Tattoos covered his arms like sleeves, circling a ways over his chest and ending just above his wrists. Pink sakura flowers spilled down his chest over blue-black waves. Each arm had a red crested crane, wings spread, surrounded by dark curlicues of smoke and coiled red and black snakes. Katsu watched their reactions curiously. 

Both men were alert and curious as Katsu revealed himself. The following shock was apparent. Simo never expected such vivid and large tattoos on such a very pristine, orderly, and quiet man. This was like seeing purple hair on an accountant. 

Spy suspected Katsu might have tattoos, due to his involvement in the Yakuza. Furthermore, Katsu lacked part of a finger, it was probably not the only mark the Yakuza put on him. But whatever suspicion he had did not compare to the reality of the very large and elaborate tattoos decorating him. He stared in silence, taking in every detail before commenting, "Cherry blossoms." It seemed the Medic's fake code name was more personal than he thought.

“I prefer Red Crest.” His original code name had somehow taken a backseat to the teasing one Spy had come up with. Katsu couldn’t help but laugh, “but yes, it does suit me.” He pulled his shirt back up and re-buttoned it. It was once again as though the tattoos did not exist. They were meant to be hidden under his clothes. “They represent impermanence.” He did not feel the need to explain further. 

"And the red crested?" Spy asked. That was also represented in his tattoos, and worn proudly as his name. 

“I thought it could mean both the crane, and the red cross I wear as a Medic. No one questioned it. Though some have tried to rename me,” Katsu raised an eyebrow at Spy.

Spy nodded, he probably teased Katsu with the code name 'Cherry Blossom’ as much as Katsu teased Spy with the codename ‘Falcon  _ Eye _ ’, noting his bad eye.

Simo coughed quietly and Spy quickly shuffled and placed the cards again. If he wanted more secrets, he needed to win another hand and ask the question. His cards this time were unlucky, but he was too interested to not try to get answers. He pushed chips forward with confidence. Simo put his cards down and shook his head, bowing out. It went to Katsu to either call Spy's bluff or to answer Spy's question.

Katsu had nothing worthwhile in his hand; he folded, looking over to Spy. He’d won a secret of his choice.

Spy took the wine bottle and filled their glasses again, encouraging them all to drink plenty. As he poured the drink to Katsu he asked, "Why did you leave the Yakuza?"

Katsu took another drink, trying to find the right words. “I had to leave my city, and I was offered a place here.” When they had first started playing this game, Katsu had had a tendency to over explain his answers. Now he just let them raise more questions, following Spy and Simo’s lead. 

Simo held almost all the chips. At this point, Katsu and Spy were forced to share secrets due to almost no chips, and Simo chose to share secrets to not risk losing money. But with drinks the conversations were light-hearted, almost with laughter. To watch them would be eerie, to see their stony faces and no expression as they played their cards and then to see their lazy grins and wet eyes as they shared their secrets. 

Simo lost a hand, but only lost a secret, announcing, "I'm not 165cm." 

Spy chuckled into his glass, knowing the man was short, how could Simo deny it. 

Simo finished, "I'm 160 cm. The bottom of my shoes are very thick." He glanced at Katsu with some apology in his tone, "I was on my toes a bit during our exam." 

Katsu laughed as Simo admitted his height. “I’ll never change it,” he said, “you’re officially 165cm now.” 

In the next round Simo won and gestured to Katsu, "Why is part of your little finger missing?" and to Spy, "How many team mates are you...  _ with _ ." 

Spy shook his head as if he might refuse to answer, "Is this 'truth or dare' now?" He sipped his wine and answered, "Three." Everyone knew about his relationship with Greg. His relationship with Bea was not so obvious but certainly not hidden. But certainly no one knew he participated a little with Marcus and Bea together.

When Spy said he had three lovers, Katsu looked surprised. He couldn’t even imagine who the third might be. None of the rest of the team seemed like... his type. Or quiet enough to keep it a secret. It certainly wasn’t Simo.

Simo didn't try to think of who the three were. If he must guess he might guess Katsu was on the list, considering the Spy's earlier secret. 

Katsu held out his hand for Simo, letting him see the scar. “I owed money. To the yakuza.” He’d borrowed to pay for his education. “Since I was leaving Japan to come here, it was necessary that I pay off my debt immediately. I did not have the money.” He felt a little bad to bring their cheerful mood down a little, but answered honestly.

Simo leaned in and looked close at Katsu's missing finger. "A finger settled the debt? That must be a very talented little finger." He guessed that there was more to the story, more for him to ask. As he looked at his chips he decided those were questions to ask a different night. "This is the end for me." He put his chips into his pockets and asked, "Next week?" 

Katsu wasn’t sure how to take Simo’s comment about his finger, so he ignored it. 

Spy nodded. "At the same time again." He reclined with his glass. "I'm staying to enjoy my drink." 

Simo gave a silent nod signaling farewell to both the Spy and the Medic and then disappeared through the door. 

Katsu nodded to the Finn as he left, sure that the man would go back to grunting and gesturing to communicate once he stepped outside this room. 

Spy turned his attention to Katsu and suggested, "We can try to have a proper sake here, next week."

Katsu finished his own glass, slowly. “You think you can get it?” he sounded hopeful. “I have not had any in some time.” 

Being alone with Spy suddenly brought his earlier confession back to the forefront of Katsu’s mind. He couldn’t help but wonder what kind of fantasies Spy had, if it had just been once, or ... he shook his head as though to dislodge the thought, cheeks flush again. He could blame it on the wine.

Spy shrugged, "I'll ask Greg. Prohibition doesn't stop him from enjoying what he likes. I'll let him know it's important to you." Spy noticed Katsu shaking his head and asked, "Are you alright? Did you drink too much?"

“Thank you, I appreciate it.” He was quite suddenly annoyed at Spy for having said that in front of Simo. “I’m fine. Are you sure you didn’t have too much? Your first secret was... surprisingly candid.”

Spy raised his brows. "Was it?" Confessing a thought on his mind rather than an action seemed like a very easy first step. Hardly a valuable secret at all. But if Katsu is a straight man, the secret must be too vulgar. Spy sat up and looked serious again. "I didn't mean anything serious by it. You don't need to tell me you aren't interested or explain our professional boundary. I didn't expect to make you so uncomfortable." Secretly, of course, he did mention the secret to test the waters regarding the medic's interests.

Katsu licked his lips, focused again on his glass of wine. He felt a chill of fear. He wanted to tell Spy he was interested, wanted to have someone interested in him. But he couldn’t say it. And if he couldn’t say it even here, where they told each other all kinds of secrets, maybe he’d never say it. “I think it made Simo the most uncomfortable,” he commented. Though he’d felt embarrassed, it had mostly been because of their audience.

Spy nodded, "Probably so." He considered it and suggested, "But I think, maybe, all sexual things make him uncomfortable." He wanted to ask Simo, but wondered if the Finn even knew he might be asexual. "I won't bring up any sexual subjects to the poker table again... Ah, I was so sure that secret would ruin your poker face. But you played well. If a secret like that doesn't break your poker face then I must simply keep my personal secrets to myself."

Katsu smiled at that. At least he’d kept a straight face. Honestly, even when he  _ tried _ to emote, it often didn’t come across to anyone else. “If anything would have broken it...” he left - _ it would have been that _ \- unsaid.


End file.
